The Sunday herald., 1887-01-23
HOW MRS. LANGTRY FENCES.
Morning Scene in Her Music. Room.
Wherein the LILY ana a SwOrdsman
DispOrt Themselves with Mask and

DlspOrt themselves Wleh Mask and
Foil.
hardly conscious OF the beauty of face and form
which has been the talk of two hemispheres. Her
l1mnns mi as an actress nave not made ner proud
skill with the foils The redoubable Senac says she
is the most clever feminine fencer he has met with
;, Every other morning. about 10 O'Clock, the SOL
dierly Senac may be seen walking down West tTwen.
ty third street with a green bag, somewhat like
lawyers, In one hand, and, tucked under hisarm, q
pair OF slender fos In close case. He is going to
give Mrs. Langtry her hour Of practice. and when
he rings the bell with the big brass knob at No. S6l
he is Immediately ushered into small chamber,
from which he emerges ten minutes later, clad in
close. fitting costume OF black velvet. There are
bits Of lace at the close-fttng sleeves which give
the Professor the air OF seventeenth-ce gal
liant, and his manners do not belle the look. Ser
,an,s ,aLn,,u move, aside bits Of the lnxuriant
ames satle darn,es. The rich folds OF
| Chinese yellow silk which separate the reception
room from the muslc.room are drawn close; sun
light streams in the low French windows and sends
lnnumerable tiny shafts through the costly yellow
| laces which screen them. Madame's audience Is al.
woods, has only here and there Persian rug fol
covering, there are soft, inviting dlvans OF tuftet
satin In soothing shades of Imperial yellow, and
spread before the open fireplace tiger robe, will
red, snarling jaws, and stripes of wondrous hue
gives soft ground for the felt-shod feet. The spec
which, sprnging straight from the noor like deser
palms, blossom Into shades of gorgeous colors, with
fendlsh dragons OF Japanese invention. servant
tai bottle half filed with Poutet Canet half dozer
biscuits, and the wine glasses. This is placed on g
slender side table and Is for the refreshing OF the
| fencer.
"Madame is coming" says madames maid, and
in another moment material bit of shapely lowell
| ness enters The picture for a moment recallt
llen Terry In her gown OF scarlet velvet pleading
before the High Court of Venice for her lovers lift
| against the dew. The ample cloak which eDve
0ped the form OF the actress was OF deep crimson
plush, lined with old-gold satin, scarlet bunch OF
| uUs n Ia mat
top OF the coils Of closely plated hair, which SHIN
mered in the sunlight like FURNISHED gold, rested
jauntily a little cap OF crimson plush"
| "Bon Jour, madame"
"Bon Jour, Monsieur Senac."
The little cap goes twlrllng on one of the low
dyans; the crimson cloak parts from throat to shot
aud follows 1t. There Is gleam of white, revela
ton OF beauty and the actress stands clad in tht
| prettiest costume woman ever wore.
| There Is close-htting white buckskn fencing
jacket, padded over the bust and buttoned high vi
around the throat, white gauntlcts reach almost tc
the elbow. and white stockings with heavy bacl
clocks reach to the knee. The loose trousers Of
creamy woolen, and the soeless shoes white AM
| The two antagonists faced each other; the combat
was about to begin. senac, with swarthy face. gilt
tering black eyes, black hair, black heard ant
pointed mustachios, black velvet from the bush,
throat to the black slippers, which haunted bows O.
sombre slken ribbons held by buckles OF polished
Jet, looks fierce and almost nendlsh. TO tht
watcher from amid the luxuriance of the dvar
close by the low window 1t was like an alleg0rca
combat between ths power Of light an,
and white. 1t was the contrast OF black, with {
form OF exceeding fairness, rObed In spotess white
and with coils OF golden bronze about the head sucl
as the Greek painters loved to give the Venus.
In rlce The masks are on; there Is an eager beat
OF the little foot: the combat has commenced. MOI
q word is spoken Senac Is not fencing with nov
Ice, for my lady mas wrist which any swordsInal
might covet and he does not spare her. The sende
steel blades wriihe and coil about each other witt
the utmost rapidity; the actress doubles and re
doubles hercely; there IL the marvellous precision
nicely, and dnesse OF the woman In every move
ment OF the foil. She presses harder IN attack
senac loses ground; he has an iron wrist, bu, II I
not woman's II Is test OF strategy, not strength
| Her rapid unges are wonderful for woman; tn,
hips are free as a runners and the knees suppl
| az a boys. The master retreats step by step, hi
black figure, almost against the great silken curtain
which divide the rooms, stands out sharply define
against the background OF yellow curtains.
There Is n last lunge straight at the heart, q shar
| san" from Senac, Mrs. Langtry's foil drops, Sena
salucs, for his fair adversary has scored touch.
After an hour of sharp work Mrs. Langtry's Gus
tom Ia TO wrap her cloak about her, and sit 10
| awhile before the open llre while she eats bscui
| moisened In claret. The violent exercise ha
brought every muscle into action, and perspiratio
comes In little torrents down her temples. at
the best thing know for the skin and compile xion.
she said. and the exercise believe to be the mos
heathful In the world"